Kyle Walker recorded a lightning quick top speed of 35.32 km/h for Man City this month… but can you name the two ex-Premier League stars who have been faster than the 33-year-old since 2020?
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Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker has made a great start to the 2023-24 campaign and shows no sign of slowing down – in more ways than one – despite turning 33 in May.
The five-time Premier League champion has played every minute for Pep Guardiola’s side this term, displaying the trademark speed and anticipation which has made him one of the greatest players of his generation in his position.
Walker has routinely featured in top speed rankings alongside players several years his junior, but according to data from Opta, he is not the holder of the fastest speed recorded for a player 33 years or older since the start of the 2020-21 season.
His top speed of 35.32 km/h, achieved earlier this month in City’s 6-1 win against Bournemouth at the Etihad, sees him ranked third and betters readings of 34.57 and 34.65, recorded in games against Arsenal and Burnley respectively, ranked 10th and eighth.
In all, Walker features three times, more than other any player but he crucially misses out on top spot.
Kyle Walker routinely features amongst the Premier League’s quickest player list and often tops it as he did last season
Aaron Lennon (left) and Jamie Vardy (right) have both recorded quicker top speeds than Kyle Walker in the Premier League over the last three seasons.
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West Ham forward Michail Antonio is the only other player on the list whose top speed comes from this season
That belongs to his former Tottenham teammate Aaron Lennon, who recorded an electric top speed of 35.88 km/h while playing for Burnley in 2021.
Even more impressive is the fact that Lennon achieved the feat a year older than Walker at 34.
Lennon makes two appearances on the list of speedy veterans, also popping up in fourth place with a top speed of 35.16 km/h recorded against Leicester in 2022.
The only other player to better Walker’s mark is Jamie Vardy, who comes in with a time 35.88 km/h which he set in a clash against Brentford in October 2021.
Rounding out the top five is West Ham striker Michail Antonio with a top speed of 35.09 km/h. The top ten also includes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Felipe and Ivan Perisic.
The trio came in at sixth, seventh and ninth respectively, with speeds of 35.05, 35 and 34.59 km/h. Spurs’ Croatian star joined Lennon and Vardy in recording his time at the age of 34.
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